


Living In The Real World

by smokeandmirrorscloakanddagger



Series: Soldiers Like Us [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety, Bucky Barnes Has PTSD, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Depression, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-09-23 10:00:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9650708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smokeandmirrorscloakanddagger/pseuds/smokeandmirrorscloakanddagger
Summary: Sequel to Soldiers Like Us.Living in the real world, Bucky finds, is not as easy as he would like it to be.





	1. Fine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3333333

Bucky jerks awake, sweaty and panicked, only to reach across the bed and find it empty for the third time that week. His eyes clench closed as he attempts to regulate his breathing and calm his racing mind. Where is she goddammit? The anxiety that something had happened to her settles in again and not even Lady’s warm presence can calm him as he stands and begins to pace.

He’s tried to be supportive of Artie’s college experience. But the toll it’s taking on him has been heavy. He hasn’t said anything to her however as he doesn’t want to make her worry or feel guilty about getting her education, about having a life outside of him. The nightmares however have become worse. Bucky stops and swallows thickly, fighting back nausea as he braces his hand on the counter. Lady whines at him from the bed before jumping down and pressing herself comfortingly into his side. He presses his hand to her head, rubbing her behind the ears until they’re both comforted when he spots his phone lying on the bedside table. He grabs it up to see that it’s nearing midnight and his anxiety only escalates.

Artie’s contact is first in his favorites, her smile beaming and bright even in a digital memory. He taps it and presses the phone to his ear tightly, still taking deep, calming breaths. It rings twice and then goes to voicemail. Bucky pulls the phone away from his face to stare at his phone in shock. Twice and to voicemail…means she saw it was him and ignored the call. Or…someone had her phone…had her.

Bucky grabs his jacket when his phone starts to ring. Artie. He stares and then picks it up. “Buck? You need somethin’?” Her voice crackles through the speaker.

 

~

 

Artie laughs as Peggy tells another horror story from her time as an ER nurse. Sharon snorts into her drink as their waiter drops off a couple drinks for them at their table when her phone rings. She quickly ignores the call but Sharon and Peggy notice. “You two okay?” Peggy asks, referring to her relationship with Bucky.

“Yeah,” she shrugs. “We were just in the middle of something. You were in the middle of a story.” Peggy shrugs and goes back to her story but Artie suddenly feels guilty. She hadn’t told Bucky where she is, taking advantage of his kindness and his understanding. She jumps up from the table, startling Sharon and Peggy, “I’m gonna call him back,” Artie says. “Be back in a minute.”

“If you can’t stay just text one of us,” Sharon says with a nod.

Artie calls Bucky back once she’s out in the street in front of the bar. It rings only once when he picks up. “Buck? You need somethin’?” she asks when he doesn't say anything. His breathing, even over the phone, sounds labored and awful. “Babydoll? You okay?”

“Where are you? Are you safe?”

She clenches her eyes shut and takes a deep breath. Bucky had been both distant and clingy lately. As though he wanted to be one or the other and instead ended up over compensating both. “I’m at a bar with Sharon and Peggy. They invited me out after I got finished at the library. I’m sorry I shoulda told you, hon.”

“Safe, Artie, are you safe?” He asks, panic now plainly evident in his voice.

She sighs, “Yes, I’m safe and I’m coming home now. I’ll be there soon, lovely Bucky.”

Artie hears him sit down heavily, frustrated groan leaving him as he does, “You don’t have to. I know you’re having fun and-,”

She flags down a cab as she cuts Bucky off. “No. You come first, Buck. I’m coming home okay? We’ve only got one day ‘til Sunday and then I’m all yours huh? I’m gettin’ in a cab now. I’ll be home in ten and we can cuddle okay?”

“Artie-,”

“Don’t ‘Artie’ me. I’ll be there in ten okay, babydoll?” She hangs up and hopes for the best.

 

~

 

Bucky waits for Artie sitting on the floor with Lady curled in his lap. His back rests against the doorjamb of the bathroom door and even though Artie won’t be able to see him when she walks in the door at this angle and the wood of the doorframe is digging painfully into his back he stays there, unable to move.

The front door opens and closes. A pause. “Bucky?”

He swallows harshly, “Here, doll.” Her figure appears and he watches her face crumple as she takes in his form only furthering his guilt.

“Hey,” she whispers, setting her bag down before joining him on the floor. Bucky swears everything feels a hundred times better when she leans into him. “Hey, hey, hey,” Artie wraps her arms around him and tugs until he lies down, head in her lap. Fingers rub soothing circles into his back and shoulders, along his spine and over the column of his neck. Better, things were always better with her around. And Bucky only feels worse about the _better_ feeling that surges through him. She shouldn’t have to rush home to him, put her life on hold. “What’s wrong Buck? I’m here now. Are you letting the stress get to you? You know what Sam said. Too much stress can be a trigger and-,”

He huffs out a gentle breath as Lady moves closer, nosing at his hand until her snout is beneath it. “I…just miss you. I’m still adjusting.”

Artie laughs and says, “I know. And I’m sorry. You’ve been so good to me these last two months and…I know we haven’t been together as much as we’re used to-"

“And when we _are_ we’re planning the wedding, which I like but its work, or we’re working in the café or we’re with someone else too,” Bucky says, not caring that he sounds like a whiney child. Artie is _his_ , but lately it didn’t feel like that. Lately it felt like she was everyone else’s.

Her fingers card gently through his hair before pulling on his arm, “Okay, c’mon. We’re gonna cuddle. I miss you too, babydoll. But this isn’t forever, okay?” She gets up taking Bucky with her as she goes, “I do miss you. So much.”

Bucky dips down to press a soft kiss to her mouth. “I’m trying to give you your space, doll,” he murmurs against her. “I know you’re busy and I-,”

“Are you not telling me something?” She asks, pulling back from him. “What’s going on?” Bucky stares into her eyes and thinks about telling her about the dreams for a second before he decides against it. Didn’t he burden her enough? With all his other problems?

He manages a smile, “No, ‘course not, sweetheart. Nothin’s wrong.”

“Okay,” she sounds doubtful. “Let me change and then I’m yours for the night.”

 

~

 

The next morning in the café Artie watches Bucky carefully. His shoulders sag but he smiles, circles are under his eyes but he laughs and Artie can’t figure out why he won’t talk to her about whatever’s bothering him. Wasn’t that why they were so good for each other? Their ability to say anything to the other?

But Bucky wasn’t talking to her now. At least not about whatever’s bothering him. All they seemed to talk about is colors of invitations and who to invite and where the wedding would be and blah, blah, blah. Artie would be happy with anything. She’s happy _now_. It seemed important to Bucky however to do it properly and so she dealt with it. But because she hated wedding planning she tended to stay away from their apartment as long as she could and apparently it’s taking a toll on Bucky or…something is. She watches him again as he pours coffee for a woman and her husband, Sophie chattering in his ear all the while, a flighty, chattering bird at his heels.

Tommy stops by her side, “You’re staring again. You know I think he might like you back. I remember him asking you to marry him? Is that right?” She smiles and turns to Tommy, “Hey, you okay?”

She shakes her head, “He’s…been distant again. I’m just worried.”

“Maybe it’s because you ain’t ever here anymore,” he says casually.

Artie whips around to glare at him, “Excuse me?”

Tommy rolls his eyes, “Look, I’m just saying. I hear him at night when you aren’t there…I know you hate this wedding planning stuff but he shouts and it isn’t good shouting y’know?” He taps his fingers against the counter, “I like the guy and it’s hard to hear.”

Artie can only stand there in shock, “He hasn’t said anything to me about the nightmares being back. Or worse.”

He pats Artie on the shoulder, “That’s what I’m saying babe. You gotta start payin’ attention again. He’s tryin’ to do it all himself all of a sudden. I think he thinks that because you’re doin’ so good that he’s supposed to be on the same level.”

“Yeah,” she whispers, gazing at Bucky’s gentle smile, crouched in a small circle with Sophie and Lady, something spread out of the floor between the three of them.

Artie turns to Tommy and hugs him suddenly, “Thanks, Tom.”

“Maybe ask him to slow down with the planning. Ask about having a long engagement. There’s no rush, y’know?” Tommy says before pulling away to attend to the customer that just arrived at the counter.

Artie spends the rest of the day baking furiously and making specialty drinks which have become increasingly popular among their clients. Bucky doesn’t come to talk to her but there isn’t much she can really do about that. Saturdays are their busiest days. But sometime around six they finally close for the day, on time for once, and Bucky comes to her, wrapping his arm around her from behind and burying his face in her neck.

“Finally all mine. For all of Sunday, all mine,” he whispers against her, scruff tickling her neck as he presses a kiss to the smooth skin. “Mine. My girl.” His fingers wrap around hers.

She turns and takes her hand out of his so she can lie either of her hands to his jaw, “’m always yours, sweetheart.” Her lips meet his gently, “We need to talk.” Bucky freezes, his hand on her hip tightening.

“About what?” He whispers, “Are-,”

“We’ll talk upstairs, okay? Tommy’s going to a friend’s tonight so we don’t have to be quiet,” she whispers against his lips. “You’ll let me take care of you, hmm?”

He groans and pulls her closer, “You don’t gotta ask me that.” Her mouth finds his again before he whispers, “I miss you, Artie.” His hand roves down her back and over her ass, “I miss your voice and your body and your hands. I miss your laugh and your lips and just _you_.”

“And I’m gonna make it up to you,” she says, nosing at his jaw before biting him gently.

He groans and grabs her ass again, “You’re manipulatin' me now. You said something about talkin’. You’re gonna lure me into-,” he cuts off in a heady moan as her hand rubs him through his jeans. It had been a few weeks since they had had a spare moment for each other.

“You’re very own siren,” she says sweetly.

“Something like that,” he says before she lets go of him and dances away as the door to the kitchen opens and Tommy and Connor come in, bickering softly.

 

~

 

He barely makes it up the stairs before Artie attacks him, pulling his shirt off and attaching herself to his body. Lips and teeth and tongue pressing over his chest and shoulders and neck. She kisses down his body until she’s on her knees in front of him, pausing and looking up at him through thick lashes with big, sultry eyes before her mouth goes to his hip to suck a kiss there, fingers undoing the button on his jeans. Artie pulls the zipper down slowly savoring the heavy, needy breaths leaving Bucky. “Artemis,” he says but she only pushes his jeans down his thighs.

“Artemis, doll, c’mon-,” her fingers hook in his boxers, his erection springing free.

She looks up at him, hands on his thighs, “I told you I’d take care of you. I’ve been neglecting my babydoll lately.”

Before he can say anything else her mouth lands on him sucking just the tip of his cock in, swirling her tongue around him a little. “Fuck, sweetheart, your mouth feels so good,” he praises her. His hand cards though her hair as she goes deeper, hollowing out her cheeks and humming against him. “Almost forgot how good you feel,” he moans tightening his grip on her hair.

She bobs her head against him, wiggling closer to him as she grasps his thighs, nails digging red marks into the skin there. Choking down until she can’t take anymore, mouth wet and hot. Artie pulls away with a gasp, saliva trailing from her lips. He groans as her lips trail along his length teasing the sensitive skin. One hand comes up to slowly stroke him when she takes him into her mouth again as Bucky's eyes roll back in ecstasy. When Bucky nears the very edge from Artie’s sinful, talented mouth she pulls away. Her voice is rough and strained as she asks, “You wanna cum in my pretty mouth or take me? I’m yours tonight babydoll. Whatever you want huh?”

Bucky takes only a second to decide what he wants, pulling her up by the hand. “Strip,” he demands as he attempts to work off his boots and jeans.

“Yes, James,” Artie purrs, admiring his blown pupils at the use of his proper name. She makes a right show of taking her clothes off at an agonizingly slow pace until she’s standing in only her panties and Bucky can’t much take it anymore.

With a growl he grabs her and pulls her close, “Take ‘em off.” Still with his arm around her and without looking away from his eyes she reaches down and wiggles out of them before her hand wraps around his cock again as her eyes gleam.

“Where do you want me, James?” she asks as her hand comes up to slip a pre-cum covered finger into her mouth. “Hmm?” She closes her eyes and sucks, “Taste so good, babydoll.”

Artie suddenly finds herself face down on the bed so she puts her ass in the air and wiggles it at him where he stands behind her. The first time they had tried it like this it hadn’t gone well but after a few tries at it when Bucky wasn’t flustered and worried it had been pleasurable. Artie still likes it better face to face but tonight isn’t for her. His big hand comes down on her ass hard. She yelps and then purrs as he soothes the stinging skin before spreading her lips with thumb and forefinger. Artie looks back at him, chest pressed into the mattress, full bottom lip between her teeth as she meets his eyes. “Fuck, doll, watch what you do with those lips,” he warns, running a finger over her inner folds before his thumb finds that sensitive bundle of nerves.

She lets out a moan as he continues to circle her, becoming putty, a melted heady mess right before his eyes. Her hands go to her breasts to knead the flesh, pinching her sensitive nipples. “So wet and tight, Artemis, so perfect,” he whispers as he slips a finger into her. “So beautiful.”

All he gets in response is a needy moan so he pulls his hand away and lines up with her. She looks back at him again, mewling with the loss of his hand. Bucky keeps his eyes on hers as he pushes slowly into her giving her time to adjust. “Fuck me,” she whispers and so he pulls back and snaps his hips sharply into hers. She cries out and grips the sheets in her fists, “C’mon Buck, give it to me.”

He repeats the action, absolutely aching for her, to just rest inside her warm folds but he also wants to fuck her into next week and so that’s what he decides as he grabs a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back, just the right side of painful as he sets a pace that has her withering in no time. His hand drops away from her hair so that he can grip her hip.

For a time their world is nothing but the slap of skin and feel of rough hands and pleasure-pain. Her eyes roll back when he abruptly stops still fully inside her to run his fingers down her spine, contrasting wildly with the roughness seconds before. “Cum, Artie. I know you’re holdin’ back sweetheart. I wanna feel you cum around me. C’mon.”

“Move,” she whispers though her face remains slacked in pleasure, “Please.”

“Cum for me and I will,” he reaches around her waist and rubs her clit gently. “I thought you said you’d do what I like tonight huh?” he whispers as he leans over her to kiss her shoulders and the back of her neck, still circling her sensitive area. She clenches around him and groans as a powerful orgasm suddenly washes over her. Bucky begins rocking his hips slowly back into hers, savoring the way her pleasure feels around him, “Such a good girl.”

The waves of sweet pleasure are still coursing through her when Bucky cums inside her, groaning tightly before he collapses against her back. He tries to keep his weight off her but her hand comes around his back and pushes him down. “Kiss me,” she demands.

So he does. Where he can reach in this position, mostly her neck and shoulders and her cheek when she turns her head to the side, he lays gentle kisses. Eventually he gets off of her afraid that he’s hurting her and she isn’t realizing it in her post-orgasm bliss. Bucky moves her up the bed and covers her with a sheet before climbing in next to her. Artie snuggles next to him and whines low in her throat until he chuckles and wraps his arm around her. “I love you, Artie.”

“I love you, Buck. Is this the plan for tomorrow?” She asks, wiggling onto his chest.

He hums against her hair, admiring the glow of sex still around her body, “No. I got things planned for tomorrow.” He doesn’t miss her disappointed expression, “Hey, I didn’t mean it like that. I meant I’m takin’ ya on a date.” He smiles at her as he brushes her hair to the side.

“Oh?” she perks up. “Where to?”

“Not tellin’ ya,” he says with a grin that fades as he remembers that Artie wanted to talk. “What d’ya wanna talk about, doll?”

She hums again and lifts her head off his chest, “You.”

“ _Me_?”

Artie’s eyes are soft as she says, “Tommy told me you shout, babydoll. He said the nightmares are back and it’s because of me-,”

Bucky looks away, refuses to meet her eyes, “I dunno what you’re talkin’ about. I’m fine.”

“Bucky…” she whispers, pressing a hand to his stubbly cheek, “You don’t have to be fine if you aren’t.”

He still doesn’t look at her, “I’m fine. I talk to people and I go in public and I’m normal now, Artie. I’m better.”

“Hon, just because you can do those things now doesn’t mean the trauma is gone,” she says gently. “You’re still-

“Don’t say recovering,” he warns, finally meeting her eyes.

She soldiers on anyways, “-recovering. And that’s okay.”

Bucky pushes her off of him and stands up, slipping into his boxers before searching for some sweatpants and a shirt. Lady whines at him, warning him that he’s getting too upset, but he ignores her. “Bucky?” He looks back to the bed where Artie is sitting up, hair mussed, cheeks flushed and naked from the waist up. “What are you doing?”

He ignores her as she keeps speaking, about how he isn’t broken and that it’s okay and _normal_ and that he might always have shit to work though and- Her words wash right over him until he snaps, “I’m fine!” His voice booms around the room and Artie cringes away from his harsh voice. “I am _fine._ Better. Fixed. I have to be. We’re getting married. How am I supposed to be whole for you? How am I supposed to take care of you? How are we supposed to start a family if I’m damaged goods?”

She stares at him wide-eyed and slightly fearful of his wrathful, self-deprecating tone. “Family?” she whispers in disbelief, her heart lurching in her chest. _That_ , that is not something she is ready for, or even sure she wants.

Bucky finishes changing, color high in his cheeks. “I’ll take it you don’t want that with me then,” he says roughly as he opens the door.

“Bucky!” The door slams closed as she bursts into tears, curling in on herself, feeling very alone and confused.  


	2. Something Broken

Artie only cries for a few minutes before she stops. A deep seed of anger settles in her. How dare he fuck her and leave her? How dare he get upset with her for caring about him? How dare he turn her into a weepy mess? Her heart has always been strong and she’ll be dammed if she lets anyone make her feel this way. _Used_ and _in the wrong_ and _vulnerable_. It hurts especially coming from Bucky, a person she’s supposed to be able to put her trust in completely to _not_ do these things. She throws back the sheet and hastily gets dressed before she storms down the stairs.

She doesn’t have to look far for him. The wind is chilly and brisk, leaves crackling on the trees and swirling in the streets. The anger that rolls off of her is hot and so she barely feels it. Bucky stands with his back to her a little way down the street from the café. The street is strangely devoid of people and eerily quiet. “ _Hey_!” Her voice is sharp and furious. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

He turns, shock written on his face, “You _followed_ me?”

The wind whips around them as she comes to a stop in front of him. “You’re standing in front of my café! Not exactly the best hiding place.” They stare each other down, neither backing down as an unusual, fuming silence stretches between them, long and tense, until it snaps.

Bucky breaks first, looking away from her eyes, “Go inside Artemis.”

“No. You tell me what the fuck is going on.” His hand clenches into a fist as he looks away from her, mouth a tight, hard line. “Bucky…” she whispers, suddenly soft, “When did you stop telling me about how you feel? I’ve always been your listener.” She lies a gentle hand on his arm, but he jerks away as though her touch is poisonous. “Buck, please, I-,”

“Everyone else gets to be okay. I am too,” he says bitterly, tired of being the fucking victim. Tired of being the person taken care of instead of the other way around. Tired of being a burden. Tired of being inadequate. He didn’t measure up to everyone else around him. Those able to go to bars and have a carefree night. Those able to walk down the street without checking their shoulders every so often. Those undamaged and normal and unburdened by extreme trauma and yeah, maybe he’s pushing it. But he can _handle it._

Artie’s anger flares up again at his words and severe tone but she shoves it down, makes her voice calm and even. “You can pretend. But what you should do is continue working to get better and-,”

“You know I’d really like my fiancée to talk to me and not my therapist,” his voice is harsh and brutal, something Artie has not heard from him in a long time. Not since their first few encounters when he distrusted her entirely. She tries not to feel her gut sinking, tries not to feel nauseous.

She recoils instead, her defenses starting to build up, “Your fiancée is upstairs where you left her. Fucked raw and alone.” Blood pools in her cheeks as she’s suddenly aware of the pain in her hips and between her legs and along her scalp, usually pleasant reminders of their time together, their mutual pleasure. But now it makes her feel weak and meek and absolutely at someone else’s mercy, instead of warm and loved and taken care of. Then again Bucky had never just left her like that before, had never shouted at her that way before. Her soul starts to feel flighty all of a sudden. Like she needs to go. Flee. Get away. Make the emotions stop.

Bucky gives no reaction, his face set in stone. “It’s not like it fucking matters. You don't see a future with me anyways,” he snarls. He regrets it as soon as he says it, as soon as he sees her face fall, anger buckling down into sorrow, disbelief, hurt. And not just hurt, but a deep, deep betrayal of trust. He swallows back nausea as he realizes how his harsh words must have sounded. Like he’s been using her. Like he never planned to keep her. Like he had fucked her knowing he would one day leave her. He feels worse as he remembers that every person she’s ever loved has abandoned her in one way or the other. Except Tommy and the group of people she’s found here. And Bucky has shattered what she must now see as a very flimsy façade.  

“Oh,” she murmurs, arms wrapping around her middle. “Oh,” it comes again softly, the loneliest, saddest voice he’s ever heard. Artie doesn’t look at him, “You should come inside you know. It’s chilly out here.”

“Artemis,” he whispers, his heart jumping into his throat. He starts to reach for her but she turns away, “No, doll, please look at me. I didn’t mean that, I-,”

“It’s okay.” She turns and walks away, “Come inside. It’s cold.” 

 

~

 

That night Bucky doesn’t sleep. Artie sits up next to him, curled in a protective ball, knees pressed to her chest, arms wrapped around her knees. The TV is on, but her eyes are blank and far away, like she’s mentally checked out. Her walls are back up and fortified against him like they never have been before. In fact, he thinks back, they’ve never really been up against him.

When morning comes, the first rays of sunshine peeking into their apartment, she gets up and goes to the bathroom. After the silent night the slam of the bathroom door makes him jump. Bucky doesn’t know what to do, what to say, how to make this better. All he wanted was to be whole, to finally go home for good, to be hers. But he’s suffering and he should have just let her in. She had once kept things from him and it hadn’t ended well. He gets up heavily and stands in front of the bathroom door, unsure what to do.

Broken trust. He can see it crumbling right before his eyes, their bond splitting and fragmenting, shattering. His breathing becomes labored as his mind whirls to all the worst possibilities. Broken engagement. Artie leaving him. Leaving New York. His heart pounds against his ribs as he imagines her hand pressing the ring back into his, her face hard and unapologetic. The gentle reminder of _you never loved me at all_ floating from her lips. But he _does_ , he wants to shout, he hadn’t _meant_ it. She’s the only person he’s ever loved this way.

The café closed and dark. Steve and Peggy and Sharon and the customers and everyone in the goddamn city crowding around him asking _why he took their sunshine away, why he made her leave, how could he do that, why would he-_

“Bucky?” She’s standing before him in a towel and nothing else, wet hair dripping down onto her shoulders. “You need to breathe.” Artie reaches out and presses one hand to his lower back and the other to his upper ribs. Relief floods him instantly at her touch, gentle and soft and _present_ , here. “C’mon. Quit thinkin’ for a minute and breathe. In. Out.” He follows her instructions, breathing in time to her words as her fingers rub circles into his back. “In and out, Buck. Just like that.

“Why?” he rasps out after a few minutes.

“I might be mad but I still love you. It hurts me to see you hurt.” His chest constricts, lungs burning as she continues quietly, fingers massaging in time to her gentle words, “I don’t know what I did to make you distrust me enough to keep how you’re feeling from me but I’m sorry. I-I thought we were past this. But I guess I was wrong about a lot of things.”

All the air in the room seems to be sucked away from him again as her hands fall away from him. The apartment seems to shrink in size as she turns away. “Doll-,”

Light dances through the window across the exposed skin of her upper back, the scars lying there illuminated and fresh looking. She stops at the use of the pet name but doesn’t turn. “Please, sweetheart, look at me.” Artemis doesn’t turn. “I need you. I love you. I didn’t mean what I said.” Her whole body is still now, nerves shaking, blood humming. “I know what family means to you-,”

She whirls at that, her face fierce and wrathful, “ _Do you_? Because from where I’m standing you don’t know. _You_ are my _family_. Our friends are my _family_. And to think the second I might not want to have-have _babies_ with you, you suddenly can’t stand the thought of being near me? That you storm away because I ask if you're okay, because I care? I thought we _had_ a family already! I thought-,” she pauses, as her throat tightens with unshed tears, “-I thought you loved me more than that. I thought that I meant more than that.” She pauses, swallowing thickly, and then continues, her voice cracking horribly. “But apparently that’s not how you see it. And all for some notion of wholeness that you think you’re fucking lacking when you are the brightest, fullest goddamn star I’ve ever met.”

Silence falls between them for a moment before she adds, “I didn’t agree to marry you because I’m waiting for something more, something better. I agreed to marry you because you see the real me, you _accept_ me, you love me and because I love the man that you _are_. I saw the fullness of love in you that I felt in my own heart. But I was wrong. Like I always am about people.”

“You aren’t wrong, Artie. You aren’t. I love you. I love you so much. I didn’t mean-I-I-I-,” he groans and stops speaking for a moment, taking a second to compose himself. “I want to be the person you deserve. And lately it seems like anyone else is better. Everyone else is better for you. So, I hid from you. And I’m sorry but I don’t want you to be married to the fucking victim for forever. Maybe I do want babies with you. Maybe we are moving too quickly. But I’ve never been more sure about something in my life and I didn’t think about-I-I didn’t think that you might not want the same things as me. I didn't realize how...hiding would affect you. I didn't think about how bringing up the start of a family might hurt you.”

She shakes her head and moves toward him, lying a hand against his chest, bowing her head. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

“But I think maybe we should take a step back,” she murmurs as she steps closer to him, still only wrapped in the thin cotton of the towel around her body. Her lips skim his neck as he snakes his arm around her waist, his gut clenching painfully at her words.

He presses a kiss to her hair and whispers against her, “I love you. Please don’t leave me.” Bucky’s arm tightens around her back.

“No, no, no, no…of course not. I just mean…we should take it slower,” she presses a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “I think maybe we’re taking this engagement too fast. There’s too much pressure. There’s no rush remember?” He nods against her. He remembers.

His forehead bumps into hers as he looks into her eyes. “I remember. Forever, forever.”

“Right, babydoll.”

His whole body turns to ice again as he asks, “Are you second guessing-,”

“No,” she shakes her head. “Just that we should have a longer engagement. I think the stress of trying to rush things is getting to both of us.”

The only thing Bucky can really do is sigh and agree.

 

~

 

Things are different after that. He does his best to tell Artie how he’s feeling and she in turn makes her own feelings and thoughts known.

But.

But, but, but.

Things aren't the _same_.

Artemis is both closer to him and further away than ever. Before she left for school this morning he had attempted to kiss her and had been met with her cheek instead. Then when he tried to make eye contact, to see where her head was at, she had refused to meet his eyes.

It’s all her can think about now, and about how it isn’t the first time after their fight last week, as he works the café with Bridget and Leah. He doesn’t know how to fucking fix it. He wants to but she’s suddenly reverted to how she was when he first met her. Any time he tries to touch her, get close to her, even just hold her hand she pulls away. He misses her more than ever even though she’s right _there_ , in fact in his presence more than before they fought. But Artemis has never felt farther away or more unreachable. The tone of voice she used with him is kind but cut off and almost clinical, like he’s someone she’s just met or hasn’t known for that long.

He just wants his girl back but he thinks he might have shattered something precious in an irreparable way.

 

~

 

“I’m going home.”

Bucky looks up at Artie sitting across from him. He's confused for a moment, she's home right now. What did she mean? Then it hits him. Home. To Pittsburgh. She doesn’t meet his eyes but just keeps poking at the salad in front of her. “ _What_?”

It’s silent as she continues to prod her food. Bucky wants to scream but they’re in a crowded restaurant. Honestly, he isn’t surprised. Every attempt he’s made at mending the broken thing between them had failed so he doesn’t know why he thought this would work. She shrugs, “I’m gonna go see my dad. Visit Tommy’s parents.”

“You won’t see your mother will you?” She doesn’t answer immediately, “ _Artemis_.”

“No,” she shakes her head but doesn’t meet his eyes.

“Artie,” he whispers, “Doll, why are you being so self-destructive all of a sudden?”

“I just need to get away Bucky,” she says. “Your nightmares have been better lately and it’ll only be for a few days.” The nightmares aren’t a fair point, he thinks, as he knows they’ve only gone away again because of her nearness even with the lack of physical contact. Get away from him is what she doesn’t say and he’s about to call her on it when she says, “Babydoll.” Her voice is soft and light and concerned. “I’m okay and it isn’t you. Okay? I just need to do this.” Her hand lands on his gently, “I love you, Bucky.”

“Then why won’t you let me touch you?” He blurts it out before he can think about what he’s saying and her hand disappears. Touch, especially Artie's, has been something that has grounded him ever since he began to allow it. It made him feel real and lately he's been more than a little disoriented without it. 

She shakes her head but doesn’t say anything, fingers laced tightly together and shoved under the table. “I just need some space, Buck.”

His heart seizes, his lungs constrict, as icy, dark thoughts grip his mind. What if things never got better? What if this is it? What if this is them now?

What if she changed her mind?


	3. Apart

Everything is peaceful at home, except for when it’s not. It’s peaceful because it’ll always have a place in her heart. It’s where she grew up, where she and Tommy met, where she was first kissed, where she had her first fight, where she learned to love baseball, where she learned how to love a place and maybe not the people. But it’s also where she was torn apart and sown back together day after day, year after year. It’s where she learned of her father’s death, it’s where her mother stopped loving her and her sister became a burden instead of a friend. It’s where she learned just how quickly a child could grow up and what sort of toll that took. 

She had missed her home and now she is home and she finds that she still isn’t at _home_. Her home is in New York, probably beating himself up. At least she had made him stay with Steve. After all, Bucky would always have Steve and vice-versa. Her heart gives a lurch in her chest and she almost vomits over the edge of bridge as she thinks that it might not be true for _herself_ and Bucky. They had rushed things. Maybe she should have said no to Bucky, made them wait a little while longer.

The fast moving water beneath the bridge soothes her, the arches overhead cradling her, protecting her. Until Bucky’s face flashes before her eyes. When she had left he had tried to kiss her, as he had been trying to do for a while but respecting the boundary she’d set all the same. He had expected her to allow a goodbye kiss, but she hadn’t. Lips had met air and she hadn’t looked back, the taunt of _it’s not like it fucking matters_ ringing in her ears. She had seen his wrecked expression, like nothing would ever be right again, and still she hadn’t said anything, done anything. Her heart knows that Bucky hadn’t meant it, that he loves her no matter what but her head is warning her that her heart is wrong. That it’s always wrong about people.

But she misses him. When she rolls over at night and he isn’t there, the hotel sheets cold and unforgiving against her skin. She’ll reach for his hand subconsciously walking down the street between familiar buildings, met with nothing but air. Tears sting her eyes as she makes a decision on what she wants to do with the remainder of her time in her home town, looking away from the glittering city nestled by the river and toward the suburbs and what she knew lay just beyond that.

 

~

 

Her home looks just as it always has. Large and imposing, suffocating and horrible. The tree in the front yard still hasn’t been cut down, the old tire swing swaying in the cold breeze. The shutters need painted and the wrap-around porch carries the weight of all that it’s seen. Her first kiss and subsequent first time slapping a boy. Every bb-gun she’d ever had had been shot from this porch, aiming at cans and bottles settled in the dirt and grass a suitable distance away. Every screaming match with her mother or sister, this porch had seen every one. Every first day of school picture of her and Tommy and then the twins. Her father giving her that last hug before shipping out forever.

When she knocks on the door she knows she’s in for it, can feel it in her bones. Her mother smirks at her through the screen, perfect and horrible. Red lips peel apart to reveal perfect teeth in what can only be described as a predatory smile.

“Artemis. What tragedy has befallen you now to send you back to your dear mother?” Long nails flip the latch on the screen door before its thrown open, nearly knocking Artie in the face. Her mother observes her without the barrier of the screen door, dark glint in her eyes. “Oh,” she says knowingly, “Has he finally shown his true colors?” When a tear slips down Artemis’s face her mother reaches out and catches it on the tip of her finger, “Honey, didn’t I always tell you not to bother? No one outside this family could love someone like you. That’s why we kept you so close darling. We were afraid of losing you. Afraid of the heartache it would cause you.” Her nails trace Artie’s cheek as she _tsks_ quietly.

Artie feels her chest crumple in on itself, tears streaming freely. She knew her mother would latch onto her sadness, only make her feel worse but still she had come. The memory of her mother at Thanksgiving flashes through her mind, the horrible things she’d said and implied about not only Bucky but Tommy as well. But the woman is still her mother, and despite everything, Artie craves the closeness and warmth that only a mother can sometimes supply. Something her mother had not supplied in _years_ , but still she had had to try. Her shoulders shake. Before her father had died and destroyed her mother, she had been good. A good person, a good mother. And sometimes Artie convinces herself that if she caught her at the right time she would still be the same, would still be her mother. That she would be that warm, full woman of Artie’s childhood memories.

Then, “Wipe those pathetic tears away and come make me some tea. He never loved you, is that it? Is that why you’re sobbing on my porch? _Of course_ he didn’t,” her voice is scathing and cruel before fingers grasp the hood of her jacket and drag her through the front door. “What did he say, baby? That he’s never cared for you? That even a broken and scarred thing like him can’t accept the person that you are? Flighty and fickle and unreliable? Or did he finally figure out that you’re incapable of love? That you leave what you pretend to love?”

She’s shoved into the kitchen by the neck as her mother drapes herself gracefully in a chair at the kitchen table. In spite of her mother’s harsh words she still sets about making tea, “He loves me.” The voice that scratches out of Artie's throat is not one she recognizes.

A dramatic sigh drifts across the room, “Still in denial?”

“He does,” she says as she sits the kettle on the stove. Everything is happening as if from a distance as she says, “I think he does.”

“Thinking and knowing something is not the same thing.”

Artie swallows thickly and turns to her mother, “I _know_ he does. I came here because I thought maybe you had changed but you haven’t. Do you even remember the person you used to be? How-,”

Her mother jerks up from the table, eyes blazing, “ _Love_ made me soft. A pretty soldier turned me into nothing more than a pathetic housewife. I had plans you know and then he wanted a family and I said _yes_ because I would have done anything to make him happy. And then he went back and he died and left me with four, _four_ children! You ungrateful brats went from sweet and cute to little demons in seconds. The only one worth anything is Athena and you _always_ refused to heed her.”

The kettle starts to whistle on the stove and Artemis turns slowly to remove it from the burner and turn off the heat. With her back to the woman she says, “Goodbye, mother.”

She turns and walk through her childhood home, her prison and out the front door for the last time. Screaming follows her all the way down the path, demanding she come back, demanding she stay home. But her home is somewhere else and he’s waiting on her call.

 

~

 

Bucky waits nervously at the counter, his phone blank and black before him. His leg bounces nervously as he glances around the closed and empty café. Tommy is gone for the evening and so he’s alone. Steve had tried to make him stay at his place but Bucky had refused to be babysat that way. Now though, alone in the quiet, he regrets it a little. But he thought Artie would keep her promise to call at a certain time while she’s away. Is she so mad, so hurt that she would refuse to even check in with him?

No, he thinks, she had called on time all the other days and she knows how he worries. And indeed every bad thing he’s ever seen on the news is flashing through his mind as he becomes more and more convinced that something terrible has happened.

The phone suddenly ringing has him jolting in his seat. Relief floods him as her contact photo fills the screen. He quickly picks it up, peace settling into his bones when she immediately responds to his greeting. 

“It’s good to hear your voice, doll,” he whispers, clutching the phone to his face. It's good to hear even if it's rough and ragged with emotion, hardly sounding like herself at all.

Leaves crackle along the road on her end of the call as she sighs out, “Yeah, it’s good to hear yours too.”

Bucky can only hope he isn’t dreaming as he answers back, “Do you mean that?”

“Of course, babydoll, of course. I love you,” her voice is gentle and sincere as it always is when she says it but this time feels different. This time it feels like a promise and like a little bit of forgiveness. Maybe not a total pardon, but a start. He closes his eyes and lets the sensation wash over him until her voice comes back, a little worried and a lot miserable, “Will you say it back?”

His heart constricts in his chest, suffocating him as his lungs seem to hold less air than before, “God, sweetheart, yes. I love you. I love you so much. You know I do.”

She sniffles over the line and his heart hurts a little more. It's hard for him to comfort her with words alone, especially when he doesn’t know what’s wrong and is a little scared to ask, unsure if that would be crossing a line with her. “I saw my mother,” her voice is a low whine in his ear as she attempts to hold back sobs.

“Doll…” he whispers as his gut clenches painfully. “Why did you do that Artie?” He makes his voice as soft as possible even as rage fills his veins as he imagines what might have been said to her.

A choked off sob sounds as she says with a hoarse voice, “I’m so stupid. Sometimes I just want my mom back and I forget she hasn’t been my mom since I was-since I was-,” He hears her wiping her nose on her sleeve and is about to say something when she continues, “God, Buck, I’m so _sorry_.”

All he wants to do is hold her, comfort her. He realizes with a jolt that she needs him and that he’s not there, he can’t much help it but it still hurts especially as she whispers, “I wish you were here.”

“I can be there tomorrow if you need me to be. And, Artie, this is important okay? Are you listening?” he asks.

“Yes,” Artemis whispers back to him, still crying a little.

“I love you. And you have _nothing_ to be sorry for.”

It’s quiet for a while but he doesn’t say anything more. Artie will talk when she’s ready and eventually she does, “I’m afraid, y’know? I’m afraid of bein’ like them. I’m afraid you’ll realize how worthless I am one day, that you’ll realize you can do better. And that night we fought…it sounded a lot like that was coming true but it was worse because it sounded like you always _knew_ how worthless I am, how unlovable. And you…you’re one of the only people that I’ve cared for that that thought isn’t always sneaking around in my brain. And I know I do a bad job of telling you things when I expect it from you. But I love you and you deserve someone that knows how to do it properly.”

She pauses and waits as Bucky bites his lip, wondering where to begin. But he won’t let this slip away, now that communication is finally flowing. “You aren’t worthless and you aren’t like them. I’m so sorry I made you feel that way.” Guilt weighs heavy on his shoulders as tears prick in the corners of his eyes.

“I’m afraid, Buck.”

“Of being-,”

“Like her. What if I turn into her? How you would hate me and that’s not something I could stand. If we…” she swallows thickly, “If we started a family…and I-I hurt our babies the way my mother hurt me. What if I lose you? What if it’s all destined to repeat itself? What if it’s just in my genetic code to-,”

A terrible cry suddenly rips out of her chest and Bucky can only shush her gently through the phone, “No, sweetheart, you couldn’t. You take such good care of everyone now. You’d be the same with our babies, probably even better.” He laughs a little, “And that’s not something that should be possible. For you to have the capacity to care more than you do now.”

“Do you mean that?” Her voice is full of disbelief.

He nods before realizing that she can’t see him. “Yes, Artie, _yes_.”

An easy silence settles again as Artie thinks and Bucky prays that by some miracle she might believe him. “I’m with my dad, Buck. It’s the saddest thing. Promise you won’t ever do that to me. My mom fell in love with a pretty soldier and he ruined her. And you know how I feel about your looks,” she jokes a little at the end.

He chuckles, “Pretty. I know.” Then, “I promise, Artie. They can’t take me back anyways.”

“I need you to say it.”

“Artemis, I am never leaving you. Not for war, not for anything, not ever. I promise.”

She takes a shaky breath, “Thank you.”

“Say hello to your father for me,” he says gently. “I mean it though, I will not leave you. You are not your mother. If you decide that kids are something you want you will make a great mother. And I will love you no matter what you decide. As long as I have you I’m happy.”

A giggle leaves her and Bucky revels in it for a moment before it turns into a full blown, snotty, teary laugh, “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“You loved me,” he answers honestly.

“Buck?”

“Hmm?”

“I still…I’m still upset with you,” she admits.

He sighs gently, digging his nails into the soft wood of the counter, “I know.”

“But I love you.”

“I know,” he smiles, “I know, sweetheart.”

“I’m coming home. Tonight.” Two days earlier than she's supposed to.

His heart feels lighter, knowing she’ll be back with him soon, and that things will get better between them. A weight is lifted from his shoulders as he knows this won’t last forever, “I’ll be waiting, Artie. I’ll always be here.”


	4. Together

He waits nervously at the airport, roses and a coffee from Artie's favorite coffee place besides her own gripped in his hand. Every person that walks through the baggage area making him jump and his heart pound. Lady is on the floor next to him, excitedly wagging her tail, somehow able to sense that it’s Artie they’re waiting for. She’s so well trained that Bucky had mostly dispensed with the leash entirely.

“No, honey, you can’t. The dog has an important job to do,” he hears a mother whisper to her son. “She’s a service dog. She helps that man.”

Bucky turns and smiles at them, standing a few feet away and waiting on their baggage, “You can pet her if you like.”

“Oh you don’t have to do that, sir. We-,”

“Really. It’s okay.”

It’s all the encouragement the little boy needs as he darts forward and strokes Lady’s head. He turns to the mother, “She really loves kids. I’m Bucky, I’d shake your hand but…”

The lady laughs, “Lisa. Who’re you waiting on Bucky?”

“My fiancée,” he says proudly. “She went back home for a week.”

Lisa smiles and crosses her arms as she keeps an eye on her son and Lady, “She seems like a lucky lady. Only gone a week and she gets flowers.”

He smiles and looks down at Lady and the boy too, “I love her a lot. She’s the best thing to ever happen to me.”

The boy giggles and wraps his small arms around Lady who makes her strange purring noise in response. Bucky’s hand is starting to cramp around the flowers and coffee in his hand. “That’s such a sweet thing to hear. Oh! There’s our luggage! C’mon Felix let’s go. Nice to meet you Bucky.”

He nods as they walk away and nearly jumps out of his skin when someone touches his back lightly a few seconds later. “Best thing to ever happen to you huh? I’m not sure I deserve that.”

“ _Artie_ ,” he whispers and turns, wrapping his arm around her as best he can. “Oh, shit, doll I’m glad you’re back.”

A kiss is pressed to the corner of his jaw and he melts against her before she pulls away. Her hands go to either side of his jaw, “I missed you too, Buck.” In response he holds out the coffee and flowers. She laughs and takes them, “Let’s go home, babydoll.”

He nods and grabs the handle of her suitcase, pulling it along behind him as Artie and Lady walk beside him.

 

~

 

When they get back to the apartment all he wants to do is jump her, take her softly, show her exactly what she means to him. That his soul and heart belongs to her and no one else. But he lets her lead.

He sits cross-legged on the bed and watches as she grips the hem of her sweatshirt and pulls it over her head, a lace, red bra pushing her breasts together. She turns away from him and unzips her jeans which slide slowly down her thighs before they too pool on the floor. “Babydoll,” she asks and he jumps.

“Yes, love?”

“Can I tell you what I want?”

“I’ll give it to you. Whatever you want,” he says, not embarrassed at all about how needy he sounds.

She walks around the bed and climbs into his lap, straddling his hips. One finger traces his mouth and she suddenly whimpers, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I missed you so much. I missed everything about you, love. I’m sorry more than I’ve ever been sorry-,”

“No, you don’t need to-,”

“Yes I do.” She nods, “I do.”

“I’m sorry too. Okay? I’m sorry doll,” he says pushing some hair behind her ear as she loops her arms around his neck. “Now tell me what you want so I can give it to you.”

For a second she’s quiet before she says, “I want you to make love to me. And then I want to lie with you and kiss you, and shower with you and then I want you to make love to me again.”

He chuckles and kisses her cheek, “That can be arranged. I want to show you how much I love you.”

A finger traces under his eyes, “Maybe you’ll sleep then.” Guilt riddles her voice.

“Shit, doll, it isn’t you-,”

“And then I want to nap together,” she cuts him off. “Cause I haven’t been sleeping without you either.” He kisses her softly before noting the circles under her eyes.

Fingers stroke her thigh before he whispers, “Turn around baby.”

Her features falter, “I-I, uh, wanna look at you Buck, I-,”

“Just trust me, baby. I promise I’ll do it how you like,” he whispers back to her. He pecks her nose, “Trust me?”

“Always,” she breathes and means it. She climbs off his lap as he scoots back to recline against the pillows. She frowns at him and he beckons her forward so she sits in the V of his jean-clad legs, back pressed against his chest.

His fingers drift up her side and then to her back to unclasp her bra. Artie shivers as he slides it away from her body. Gentle fingertips pass over her stomach before softly cupping one breast, plucking at the pink bud until it hardens beneath his touch. Artie arches into him, biting back a moan. “Let me hear you, doll. Don’t hold back.” He adores it, the effect he has on her as he switches his hand to her other breast, lips dragging along her neck as he watches her squirm.

She doesn’t hold back her moan this time, or the breathy, “ _Buck_ …” that follows. One hand comes up to reach behind her and fist in his hair when he bites at her pulse point, sucking until he knows a mark will be left there for several days. He continues to play with her breasts until a wet spot forms on her panties.

“So good for me doll. Hmm? You like this?” he tugs on one nipple, getting a mewl and a pull on his hair in response. “So good, Artie, so perfect.”

“Please baby, please touch me.” He curls his arm around her waist and kisses her neck until she’s begging, hips bucking up. Her breasts are swollen and flushed pink, eyes dazed as she runs her hand over his neck and hair, her other hand resting on his thigh.

He bites her again and whispers, “I love that I can get you this worked up just by touching you…here?” He pinches her nipple unexpectedly and then rolls it. “So beautiful,” he mouths against her neck as she keens lowly and tosses her head back. “Tell me where you want me to touch you.”

“My pussy, baby, please,” she gasps before griping his hair harder and forcing his head down to meet her mouth with his. He chuckles against her and releases her nipple to press his hand into her panties. He goes right for the most sensitive bundle of nerves, stroking her softly but not pulling away from her mouth so she’s forced to moan into him and feel his smile against her lips. He dips one finger into her and this time she gasps and pulls away, “ _James_!” Fingers circle his wrist, as he adds second finger, to guide him where she wants him. His thumb presses against her clit in small circles. Her breathing comes in ragged twists, irregular and wanting.

He marvels that he’s touching her, having gone for so long without doing so, being denied the smallest touches while she worked through her own mind. She lets go of his hair to reach behind her and palm him through his jeans, “Buck…” she flattens her palm against him and he groans into her neck. Her hips buck into his hand, chasing her approaching orgasm, “Oh please, Buck, _please_.”

“Shhh, sweetheart, ‘m gonna make ya feel so good. Huh?” His mouth attaches back to her neck before she twists to kiss him again, all tongues and teeth, wet and hot. Right as her orgasm nears, her legs shaking, hips thrusting, he pulls his hand away. The sound that escapes her is so needy and disappointed that Bucky nearly puts his hand back on her. But…he has other plans. He brings his wet fingers up to his mouth, wanting to taste her when she stops him, guiding his hand to her own mouth, sucking his fingers clean as he watches with hooded eyes.

She looks up at him, “Now you have to kiss me to get a taste.” He growls low in his throat and kisses her fully, “I’m ready for you Buck. Please, _babydoll_.” Bucky groans against her.

“That ain’t playin’ fair doll.”

“I’m desperate,” she whispers. “I want you to fill me up. I want to feel you inside me. No one else has ever felt so good. No one else has ever felt like they were made for me. You’re mine. I know that now. I hope I’m yours, babydoll.”

It one smooth motion she’s on her back, landing and bouncing with a soft ‘oof’ as Bucky pulls off his shirt. And suddenly the only thing in her world are two deep blue eyes. Her fingers trail up his stomach and across his pecks until she cups her hands around his neck. She giggles before he can say anything. “I’m always amazed at you, Buck.”

He huffs out a surprised breath, “God, why?” He thinks of the scars and the missing arm and swallows thickly.

“You’re so strong babydoll,” She says and looks to the way he carefully holds himself above her on one arm. “So, pretty and perfect.”

“Hardly,” he says, burying his red face in her neck as he lowers himself to lie on her gently. “Hardly doll.” There’s a pause where she just cards her hands through his hair before he says, “You are _mine_ , Artie.”

Another laugh rings out, “Are you gonna make love to me, baby?”

“’Course doll,” he smiles into her neck. “I’m just gettin’ reacquainted.” His tongue darts out to lathe over the soft skin of her neck before he sucks another mark there.

“I’m sorry you’ve got to at all…”

He peels himself away to look into her eyes, “None of that, none of that. You had every right-,”

“But I left you,” tears pool in her eyes. “I left. I left when I promised you once I'd never do that again.”

“Not for good and I knew that. I knew you needed space. I knew you would come home. And you did,” he says, stroking some of her hair back. She lifts her legs to wrap around his waist as he lowers his face back to her neck, pressing a soft kiss to his mark he’d just left on her. “I’m not mad. I understand. Now, let me take care of you. Hmm? Let me make love to you.”

Her fingers trail down to his pants, “You have on too many clothes for that.”

Bucky chuckles against her and rolls away to remove the rest of his clothes. Artie takes the opportunity to hook her fingers into her underwear and slide them down her thighs. His hand comes down to wrap around his cock as he stands there staring at her naked body, giving a few experimental pumps, using his pre-cum as a sort of lube. She whines at him, “You tease.” Her voice is accusatory and so her spreads her legs and rubs herself gently, fingers spreading her lips as her eyes flutter closed. “Oh, _James_.”

He’s on her in a second, growling against her neck. “I want it soft and sweet baby. Remember?” She reminds him.

He groans, “Yeah.” Her fingers drift down to wrap around his cock, guiding him to her entrance. He pushes gently, slipping into her slowly. “Let me know when I can move,” he says when he’s fully inside her. “God, you’re so tight. So, warm and tight.”

Fingers card through his hair, “You can move.” He does then, shallow, small thrusts that have them both edging slowly toward climax. They’re so caught up in the act, in each other, in the blissful fullness that they don’t realize time has passed. That hours have passed, that the sun has set and the stars risen, that they’re exhausted. Emotionally, physically, mentally they become so wrapped in each other, whispering promises and love and plans of the future that their climax takes a back seat. Everything takes a backseat besides the other person. Nothing matter more than the feeling of having them _that_ close. Neither of them want to let go.

Their bodies are drenched in sweat, thighs wet and slick from their mutual pleasure and still neither of them cum. Sobs hitch from Artie’s throat as she begs. Bucky wants her to, God _he_ wants to but something stops them, makes him keep rocking against her as the pain and pleasure continues to build and culminate in their bodies. “Please, baby, I can’t take it anymore,” she says in his ear. “I need to cum, Buck, _please_.”

He grunts in her ear and thrusts a little harder into her but just as deep, “Cum for me, sweetheart. Its okay, I’ve got you. Cum, Artemis. Cum for me.” Her eyes suddenly roll back as her body clamps around him, every part of her shaking as her pleasure rocks through her. Bucky follows right behind her, his hips stuttering into her until he collapses onto her chest. And fuck, he’s so goddamn tired. But his girl…

He sits up and pulls out of her, her eyes are glazed over and unfocused as she floats around somewhere in her muddled mind. He carefully kisses her wet face, tasting the saltiness of her tears on his lips. Bucky doesn’t want to leave her in this state even to go to the bathroom and get something to clean them up with and so he rolls onto his back and pulls her to his chest. She nuzzles into the warmth, content. “Doll? Can you hear me?” Pride washes through him that he could fuck her out of her mind. Until she doesn’t respond, only hums against his ribs as panic spikes in his blood. “Nod,” he commands and she does, relief flooding him.

After a while she lifts her head and looks at him, “No one’s ever made me cum that hard. How long has it been? I feel so _good_.” Her head falls back on his chest, “So light and fluffy but warm and full and heavy.”

He glances at the clock as he smiles down at her drooping eyes, fingers still combing through her hair, “’Bout an hour.”

A hum leaves her, content and happy. “…feel so good, so good.” Her mouth trails along his ribs, “Do you feel good?”

“Yes, sweetheart,” he responds easily.

“Still wanna shower and nap.”

“Its kinda late for a nap.” She lifts her head and glares at him so he chuckles and says, “Okay, we’ll nap. But you need to eat after that doll. What do you want? I’ll order it and we can shower while we wait.”

She looks away from him, curling into his side again, “Maybe Italian? I want spaghetti.”

“Spaghetti?”

“Mm-hm.”

He sits up and pulls her along, “Okay.”

When he starts to get up she stops him, “Wait. Buck, c’mere.” Her hands go to either side of his head, fisting lightly in his hair, to pull him forward until their foreheads touch, “I love you.”

Bucky stares into Artie’s eyes, warm and large and easy from pleasure and whispers, “I love you back.”

 

~

 

After the shower and eating enough food for four people Bucky cuddles Artie to his chest as she sleeps soundly. He stays awake as long as he can, to watch over her, to look at her. He traces her naked body as she had refused to get dressed even to eat. He chuckles and traces her body, hand hovering over her stomach and then her hand. The ring shines bright on her hand, even when they had fought she had never taken it off.

When he kisses her cheek, finally settling down to sleep himself, she wakes a little, “Buck?”

“Go to sleep, sweetheart. I’m here.”

She settles back down but not before she whispers, “I love you, babydoll. Forever, no matter what.”

He nuzzles the top of her head, exhaling sharply before kissing her there, “Forever, doll.”


	5. Progress

Neither Artemis nor Bucky had had an easy time sleeping without the other. So, that night, thoroughly exhausted and finally at home and with each other they both sleep soundly and deeply. No nightmares plague them, their world at peace for once.

When Bucky wakes it’s with a warm, heavy weight on his chest which he snuggles into immediately. Artie’s arms are wound around his neck, chest pressed to his as her knees brace on either side of his hips. Warm breath fans across his neck as she huffs out small, gentle breaths, her face tucked carefully in the space where his neck meets his shoulder. So, Bucky closes his eyes and wraps his arm around her back as he strokes tiny circles into her naked skin. She wakes slowly, blinking her eyes open, eyelashes fluttering against his neck. Artie’s arms tighten around his neck as she stretches against him. “Buck….” Her lips curve into a smile as she glances up at him. “My Bucky,” Artie nuzzles into his jaw. “You’re so good to me, so good.”

Bucky can’t keep the smile off his face as he rubs his chin against her hair, “Morning, doll. I love you too.”

When she lifts her head her eyes are wide and loving, her smile soft as she takes him in. “You look so pretty in the morning. So soft, like your edges are a little blurred.” Fingers brush back some of his hair. “I love you. Wanna get somethin’ to eat so we can talk?”

Bucky stiffens and tightens his grip on her, the serene moment on the verge of shattering, “I thought we were okay?”

“We are. But you know we still have things to talk about, babydoll.” Artie dips forward to press her lips to his.

“I know,” he whispers against her when she pulls away to rest her forehead against his. “And this time we’ll get it right.”

Artemis sits up and holds out a hand, silently asking for his own. When he puts his hand in hers she smiles and whispers, “We’ll get it right because we have to, because we want to. And could I just say, I love seeing you under me.” She trails her fingers over his chest after letting go of his hand, idly tracing some of his scars.

A laugh bursts out of him then as his eyes close and his nose scrunches adorably, “Yeah? You sure? You hate being on top. ‘It’s too much work Buck’.” He imitates her voice at the end and pouts at her like she always does at him.

“Ha, ha, ha. I said I like seeing you under me not that I want to ride you,” she sticks her tongue out at him. “And it is a lot of work.”

“I like you on top,” he says as he grips her hip. “Feels good but also because your tits look so good from this angle. And these-,” he grabs one of her thighs. “-to die for, doll.” He grins at her as she turns red and slaps his chest lightly.

She grins and leans over him to kiss him deeply, tongues tangling together in a heated kiss. “Tell me Buck, what’s your favorite part of me?”

“Lips,” he whispers breathlessly against her, his eyes still closed. “Eyes, ass, thighs, heart.” Bucky sits up then as she sits back so Artie's in his lap, with a small, disbelieving laugh. “Don’t laugh,” he says as Artie wraps her arms around his neck again and his loops around her back. “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. Inside and out. So, if I had to pick one I’d say your heart.”

Artie laughs again despite herself as she looks into his eyes, “God, Buck, I don’t think I deserve you.” Her hand presses to his chest, over his heart, “Your heart is my favorite too. But also-,” Artie’s fingers trail over his back all the way down to his ass where she squeezes, “-your ass is pretty great.”

“God, I love you.”

“Good thing we’re getting married then,” she quips against his mouth before kissing him fully. “Good thing I love you too. Good thing we found each other.” She noses at his neck before frowning, “Right?”

Nothing has ever been surer and so he whispers, “Yes, doll, yes. I think,” he pulls her away so he can see her eyes, “I think, if you believe in this sorta thing, I think you’re my soulmate.”

Her breath catches in her throat, _“Do_ you believe in that sorta thing?”

“Not until I met you,” he says.

Tears form in her eyes as she says, “I hate how romantic you are, you idiot. But I think so too.”

“Artemis.”

“James.”

“Let me take you, sweetheart,” he says and she can only nod.

 

~

 

Later that day they find themselves out at a breakfast joint, the same one they went to after Bucky had inadvertently proposed. They tangle their legs together and do their best to keep in constant contact despite the table between them as Artie tells Bucky exactly what she had done on her trip at home and what her mother had said to her.

When she finishes he has to ask, “Why?”

She shrugs and shrinks away a bit, “It’s hard to explain. I know how she is, abusive and mean and awful but…then my brain convinces me that she might be okay this time because she’s my mother. And mothers…they don’t do what she does and so I convince myself that one day she’ll wake up. I-I can’t help it, I don’t it on purpose, I-,”

Bucky’s hand lands on hers, “I know you don’t doll. I know it’s hard.”

“I have you now though and we’ll make our own family however we decide. We’ve already got one anyways.”

Bucky chuckles and kisses her hand before turning it over in his grasp and kissing her palm too, “We do. Is this what you wanted to talk about?”

“I think its important that we do Buck…”

He nods, “I agree. Because doll…I don’t ever want to lose you. Me and you being happy together is what’s important.”

It’s silent for a while but for the din of the diner around them, “But if kids would make you happy…” Her voice is guilty and concerned. Artie doesn't want him to regret his choice in asking her to marry him if she decides she doesn't want kids. She doesn't want to deprive him of anything.

“Kids would be a bonus. But you… _you_ …right now, that’s my priority. And I’m sorry I ever made you feel anything but.”

Artemis can’t stand not touching him anymore as tears well in her eyes and so she moves around the table and curls into his side, “I love you.”

“I love you, doll,” he answers easily. “So much.”

Her fingers twist together as she nuzzles into his shoulder, “Maybe we should take it one thing at a time, huh? Let’s get married and then let’s wait a while and then let’s think about babies.” The waitress shows up then with some refills, smiling at them before dashing away. “She’s over there whispering about how cute we are,” Artie accuses.

“We are cute. Especially you,” he grins and rubs his nose against hers. “My beautiful girl.”

Artemis pokes him and says fondly, “Shut up.” Her smile is wide and bright and Bucky vows to himself right then to never make her doubtful again, to never make her question his love for her ever again. “We must look so love-sick to everyone here. It’s kinda embarrassing.”

“And yet you don’t look away from me,” he quips with a chuckle.

The waitresses are watching as Artie leans close and whispers, “Only because you’re so damn pretty and I’m thinkin’ of all the things I’d like to do to that pretty face.”

He winds his arm around her and draws her that much closer, pressing his mouth right against her ear. “Like what doll?” Bucky growls in her ear, making her shiver. His tongue darts in her ear and she struggles to control the squeal that tries to escape her. 

One hand not so subtly travels to the front of his jeans, squeezing lightly, “Well babydoll mostly I’d like to sit on it.”

He chuckles and then sucks in a sharp breath as she presses against his crotch a little hard. “You say that like it’s a bad thing, sweetheart.”

She lets out a loud laugh, throwing her head back as Bucky watches in amazement and awe, “Well then what are we still doing here?”

 

~

 

“Y'know…I’m glad you and Buck are good again and all that. Glad about the…well everything. But it’s been three fucking weeks and y’all are still going at it like you just made up and-,”

“I can’t help the walls are thin. Or that we’ve been trying new stuff,” Artie says with a grin as she ices another cupcake and Tommy covers his ears. “And give us a break would ya? We’re in the honeymoon phase or whatever you call that-,”

Tommy takes his hands away from his ears and rolls his eyes, “Actually you’re not. You’re in the hating-each-other-and-trying-to-work-it-out phase but no instead you two are almost actually made for each other and its making me cynical and pissed off.”

She laughs and dabs icing on his nose as she walks by. “Okay well look, next week I have finals and a bunch of stuff going on with the café so there’ll be a slight reprieve.”

“And then it gets twelve times worse after that? Yeah, great.” Tommy is quiet for a second before he clears his throat. “Actually, Artie, I’ve been thinking about something.”

Dishes clank in the sink as Artemis prepares to clean up the cupcake baking aftermath, “Oh? About what?”  

Tommy scrubs at the back of his neck, “Well about maybe moving out and letting you and Bucky have the place to yourselves.” The pan she’s holding slips out of her hand and lands in the watery, soapy sink with a thud. “I’m just thinking….when y’all get married…I don’t want you to have to leave and I know, I know that you don’t know about children just yet but you will want more room and so…but also…I met someone Artie.”

She whirls and stares, a slow grin spreading over her face, “You did?”

“Yeah, which brings me to my next point. I’d like to have her over at Christmas. Introduce y’all.” He looks to the floor nervously.

“Yes! I can’t wait to meet her! But the apartment…”

“Just-just think about it okay? Talk it over with Barnes.”

Artie nods and claps her hands together, soap suds flying, “I’m so excited for you!” Tommy just blushes and grabs the iced cupcakes to put in the fridge.

 

~

 

Bucky has his first nightmare, since Artie came home, that night. She had told him about Tommy and his secret girlfriend and his motive for giving them the other apartment. And so he had had a dream about it. Featuring both himself as his father and the Army coming back for him, not giving a damn about the missing arm.

His gasping breaths wake Artie who had been sleeping peacefully in his sweatshirt and a pair of his boxes, pressed against him for warmth against the cold winter storm stewing outside their window.

“Okay?” she asks Bucky. When he doesn’t respond she sits up and coaxes him into her lap where she can wrap her arm around his shoulders. He sits between her legs as she runs her hands over his chest and hair and kisses behind his ear, his cheeks, his shoulders, and neck until he can respond.

“I’m okay.” She hums in response and continues her ministrations. “I understand now doll.”

Fingers pause at the curve of his ear, “What do you understand?”

“What if I become my father? I know I won’t but…No, I don’t know that.” His voice is small and vaguely terrified. 

She’s entirely still for entirely too long and he starts to panic when, “We have to stop this Buck. We aren’t our parents. We’re us. And we’re good together.”

Bucky shakes his head, “You don’t understand….he hurt my mom. Really hurt her. Physically and I-,” he stops. “I didn’t even think of it…It didn’t start until Becca was born I mean I-,”

“You aren’t him and I’m not her. We never will be. Okay?” She strokes his hair back, “I promise.” Artie grins at him in the dark, “I believe it now and so should you.”

The hammering in his chest slows just a bit and then a lot as she starts to hum for him. “I believe you doll.”

“We aren’t them. We’re good and we’re us. Soulmates and lovers and friends. Sometimes it might crack a little but it’ll never fall apart and we’ll _never_ be them.”

He chuckles, “I’m glad to hear it doll.”

“How glad?” She looks at him with suddenly sultry eyes.

“Sweetheart you are absolutely-,”

She cuts him off with an upside-down kiss as she leans over him, “I know. But you love it.”

He gazes at Artie’s face as she presses a hand to either side of his face. “I do. I really do,” Bucky whispers before making a grab for her as she squeals, both smiling all the way.


	6. Ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!

When Artie’s finals are over they start spending more time together, holding off on the wedding planning for just a moment. They go on dates as often as they can and generally become gooey and obnoxious in one another’s presence.

Today Bucky has insisted on going to a museum. “How do we always end up at museums?” Artie asks as they wait in line for entrance. “Really Buck? If someone would have told me a few years ago that I’d be at art museums and space museums and history museums all the time I would have said they were crazy.”

Bucky looks over at her worriedly, anxiety already eating at his gut as they stand in the crowded space, “Do you want to do something else? I just thought-,”

“No,” she smiles at him. “I’m just sayin’ babydoll I’ve never went so much ‘til I met you and Steve. I adore going, especially with you.” Artie flutters her lashes at him before leaning forward to kiss his cheek. Bucky chuckles and blushes despite himself.

“That so, doll?”

The line moves up significantly as a group of school children are finally admitted. They both watch the excited, loud group for a moment before Bucky asks, “You didn’t go as a kid?”

She frowns and squeezes his hand a little, “No, didn’t have time y’know? Didn’t have time or money. Mother thought it was a waste of resources.”

Bucky squeezes her hand back anxiously, “Sorry, sweetheart I wasn’t thinkin’.” Artie smiles at him and smooths her thumb over the back of his hand, letting him know its okay, that _she’s_ okay. “Were you a space kid? I was a space kid. Which, uh,” he says awkwardly, “is why I brought you here today…”

Artie giggles. He’s so nervous you would think they were on an awkward first date. She lets go of his hand to step in front of him, “I wasn’t a space kid. I was a baseball kid, remember?” Bucky closes his eyes and sighs. Goddammit, he knew that, he _knows_ that. Artie had been a tomboy, one busy with small children at that, of course she hadn’t been a space kid. And of course she already knew that he had been a space kid. She had bought him a space documentary for Christmas last year, their most worn book is the space book. “Buck?”

He opens his eyes to find her watching him with concern. Their fingers are tangled together again and he feels just a bit better, “You okay?”

Bucky starts to nod and then remembers his promise to tell her the truth and where it had landed them the last time he hadn’t. He opens his mouth to reply when they’re called to the ticket counter. He hangs back as Artie purchases the tickets, glad she knows him well enough to recognize he isn’t in the ‘speaking to people’ mood. She takes his hand back and pulls him to the side once they’re in one of the showrooms. “Tell me?”

“Just not a good day, doll. I’m okay.”

“Tell me what I can do.”

“Stay with me.”

She smiles and pulls him into her side, “Already done.” Artie pulls them around the museum and doesn’t question it when Bucky unexpectedly pulls her behind him or closer to him periodically. All she can do is rub his back and chatter at him, hoping to distract him. The tension only builds as the day goes on however and Artie can see the frustration in his eyes.

“Should have brought Lady,” he mutters under his breath. There were too many people here today on school tour groups and special prices. Every room they enter buzzes with noise and laughter and uncertainty. Bucky hates himself as he watches Artie’s mouth move, her words flowing right past him with little to no meaning. She deserved better than this but he also made a promise to her. “Artemis,” he says louder now so she’ll actually hear him. “I need to leave doll,” Bucky says gently. “I’m sorry I just-,”

She shushes him, “It’s okay. I know. We’ll take a cab home okay? Everybody is coming over for dinner remember? So, if we leave now you’ll have time to settle down.”

His eyes stay locked on hers as his hand fists in the material of her shirt near her hip, grounding himself, “Okay.”

“C’mon then babydoll,” she says as she wraps an arm around him, stuffing her hand in the back pocket of his jeans. Bucky wraps his arm around her shoulders, tucking her protectively against his side.

When they make it back outside to the snowy street and then into a cab home Bucky turns to her, “I’m really sorry, sweetheart. I-,” His heart feels as though it might beat out of his chest. He hates that this still happens, even if it's nowhere near as bad as it used to be.

She pats his knee gently before tangling their fingers together again, “It’s okay. I’m glad you said something though. I’m proud of you Buck.”

Her praise eases his fear slightly that he’s done something wrong, even if telling her when things become too much is something she has specifically told him to do. So, he tips his head to the side onto her shoulder and closes his eyes, his chest still uncomfortably tight, but reassured that they would be home and safe soon. Her fingers run along his scalp softly before she asks, “Did something happen or is it just one of those days?”

“Just one of those days, Artie,” he murmurs against her skin.

When they get home Artie eases Bucky into bed and makes him tea before going to work on preparing for dinner that night and even though he can hear her a floor below him it still makes him nervous not being able to see her. So, when he comes into the café’s kitchen holding a blanket closed around his shoulders she stops the mixer and frowns at him. “What do you think you’re doing, Buchanan?”

He shakes his head as his heart clenches painfully. Artemis probably didn’t want him filling her kitchen with nervous energy so he turns to head back to the steps when, “Buck?”

“What is it doll?” Bucky asks, immediately turning back to her.

She frowns again, “That’s what I’m askin’ you babydoll. You okay?”

He worries his bottom lip between his teeth before saying, “I just need to see you.”

“Alright, sit down then,” she says before turning back to the mixer.

Bucky doesn’t sit, his body not wanting to allow it. The room seems too small, the air too thick as he tries to drag in even breaths. Lady appears suddenly and nudges her head into his thigh gently until he sits on the floor with her. The giant dog cuddling right up to his chest as she makes gentle purring noises. He locks his arm around her and presses his face into her soft fur until the shaking mostly subsides. The mixer clicks off again before Artie pads over to him. “They’ll just have to understand,” she says as she types out a message on her phone. “I can’t imagine having the place full of people will help much.”

“Artie-,” Guilt closes his throat even as relief floods him.

She presses her hand to his shoulder and he immediately sits forward still clutching at Lady’s white fur. When she’s settled behind him she leans back against the wall and rubs his shoulders, “Listen to my breathing.”

Frustration settles into his bones at his body and his mind for making him feel this way, for making Artie cancel plans. She strokes her fingers over his shoulder and down his arm and then back up to his neck, “Tension Buck, you gotta let it go. Want me to hum?” Her lips press against his temple gently before she says, “It’s okay hon. This doesn’t bother me.”

“It should,” he murmurs as he turns his head to nuzzle into her shirt. “It really, really should doll.”

“Doesn’t though,” Artie says as she strokes her fingers through his hair. “Love you too much.”

Bucky laughs and let’s go of Lady to stroke Artie’s thigh, “I love you too.” He thinks about telling her that she deserves better but they’ve been over it too many times for his words to hold any weight or convince Artemis of anything.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything that upset you?”

“No, it’s just one of those things that comes with being broken.” She just sighs and holds him tighter as Lady snuggles closer. Lady’s head now rests on his shoulder as she makes comforting purring noises against him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you Artie.”

She kisses his temple again and whispers, “You’d do just fine without me.”

He’s quiet for a moment, just feels her arms around him and her mouth peppering kisses against him, holding him together, making him feel real. And then he decides he doesn’t care anymore. Why did they need a big wedding? Artie certainly didn’t care. She had been ready to marry him at the courthouse the day after he proposed. They lived month to month from the revenue generated by the café, most of the money going into savings so it's not like they have the money for a big wedding anyways. And he loves her. It shouldn’t matter how it happened as long as it did. “Artie,” he says softly before pulling away from her arms so he can look into her eyes. “Let’s just do it. Whenever you want.”

Artie frowns at him, “Do what?”

“Get married.”

Her hands go to either side of his face, “Bucky…I know you want a wedding. I’m okay with waiting.” His heartrate starts to pick back up as she leans forward and presses a kiss to his lips. Slowly he closes his eyes and leans back into her embrace, opening his mouth for her cautiously. When her tongue slips into his mouth he groans and pulls her into his lap right beside Lady who grudgingly moves over. Artie pulls away to peck small, gentle kisses to his mouth.

Bucky lets it happen as he tries not to smile into her and fails miserably. “You shouldn’t have to sweetheart,” he murmurs even as she continues to shower him with affection.

“It isn’t just about me,” she says before pulling back to look into his face. Artie settles her hand over his heart, “It’s about you too. And you want-,”

“I want you,” he says looking up into her eyes. “You, Artie. Everything else is just white noise.”

She frowns at him and presses her hand a bit more firmly into his chest, ignoring his statement as she says, “Your heart feels like it’s about to beat out of your chest.”

“Pretty girls do that to me, doll.”

“You should probably stop hanging around Lady so much then, babydoll.” Concern creases her brow, “Really though what can I do to help you feel better? Massage? More tea? Bath? Kisses?”

He chuckles and says, “All of the above. I’m better now that we’re at home though. Really shoulda taken Lady with us today. I think today was more of an ‘in’ day.”

 

~

 

As it turns out love-making is a good tension reliever. Artie slips back into bed behind him, now in a loose t-shirt and clean panties, before wiggling her arms around his naked body. Bucky is dead asleep from the non-stop anxiety thrumming in his blood throughout the day and then the subsequent intense sex. He even snores a little which makes her giggle as Bucky is usually a near silent sleeper.

She likes the way his body feels against hers. His hot skin warding against the cold winter. His toned body against her comparably soft one. The gentle, calm rise and fall of his chest. She loves his scars. She loves his hair and his thighs and his broad shoulders. And maybe he’s right, maybe they should just do it. Neither of them are extravagant people. Why did they need a wedding? She hadn’t wanted one anyways but she still feels as if she might be depriving Bucky of something. Artie is already possibly depriving him of children, something he evidently wants quite a lot.

She snuggles in closer to him, throwing one leg over his hip to get that much closer all the while trying not to wake him. But Bucky is incredibly tuned to her distress and so he wakes up anyways. “What’s wrong?” He mumbles, before turning and pulling her into his chest, eyes never opening. “Okay, doll?”

“Mmm, I’m okay babydoll,” she murmurs against his chest. “Go to sleep.”

He grunts and opens his eyes, “Not when you aren’t.” His hand comes up to stroke her hair as he says, “Guilt?”

“Maybe a little,” she says against his chest. “Maybe a lot. My stomach’s all in knots over it Buck.” When she looks up there’s hurt in his eyes and a small frown on his face.

“It ain’t supposed to cause you anxiety, sweetheart.” His hand drifts down her back, tracing all the scars he knows are littered there beneath the material of her shirt. “Y’know we don’t have to…uh, get married. It’s, yeah, I understand, y’know if you changed your mind-,”

“I’m scared I can’t give you what you need, hon. I’m afraid I won’t be enough.” Then because she knows things are starting to become complicated again she says, “If you’re sure about me though…let’s go tomorrow.”

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," She confims with a grin.

Bucky only pounces on her, giant smile on his face. "I love you, doll." 

"I love you, Buck," she murmurs as Bucky leans down to steal the words right out of her mouth with his lips. 


	7. Kinda Sorta Wedding

“I want to be in a dress for Bucky, Pegs,” Artie says anxiously as they browse a small, inexpensive boutique. “Look like a proper bride and all that.”

“You do realize that you’re getting married today. At the courthouse. And that Bucky would marry you in sweatpants,” Peggy replies as she plucks a dress from a rack and quickly returns it.

Artie rolls her eyes before turning back to the other woman, “I know he would but he’s already dragged Steve off somewhere and I know it was to find a proper suit. It’s important to him.”

“Then why not wait?”

She smiles, “Couldn’t do it anymore.” Peggy just sighs at Artie’s suddenly lovesick expression. “Besides like you said, it doesn’t matter how anymore. Sweatpants and all.”

Peggy adds a dress to their growing pile, “Then why bother at all?”

“Semblance of a proper wedding and just the fact that it’s gonna look nicer,” Artie smiles over her shoulder, giddy despite herself. Peggy can only smile at her friend.

 

~

 

“I’m getting married.”

Rapid gunfire sounds and Artie holds the phone away from her face as she grimaces. One deep breath, two, she’s okay. “You’re... _leave me the fuck alone Hodges can’t you see I’m on the fuckin’ phone with my sister_? Sorry,” the connection crackles dangerously, “You’re what now? Bastards on the damn range are so loud today I can’t- Did you say you’re gettin’ married?” Apollo’s voice is astonished, “To that guy we met at Thanksgiving huh?”

She smiles, “How could ya tell, Lolo?”

“Oh just a damn hunch. All those lovey glances and hand holdin’ and lookin’ at you like you were the fuckin’ sun, oh and the fact that he was damn near ready to rip Athena’s head off her shoulders. You were about the same with him though huh,” Artie can hear his smile. “You tell mom and Athena?”

“Hell no.”

“Good. When’s the date? I wanna see my sister in a dress, all dolled up and everything. And, not to be blunt, but to put it bluntly anyways-,” she rolls her eyes, “-can he talk yet or..?”

Artie laughs and then smiles widely as she hears Ares cursing at some poor soldier in the background, “He can talk. Quite well. Recovery is going well.”

Apollo shouts for his brother before saying, “Yeah? That’s real good. When’s the date Art?”

She braces herself, “Today?”

The indignant yelling that she expects doesn’t come, “Not surprised.”

“Wha-why?” She splutters as Apollo explains what’s happening to Ares. “That is so surprising!”

Ares takes the phone from his brother and says, “Not really, Artie. We always had you pegged. Exactly the kind of reckless thing we would expect from you. It’s only too bad we won’t be there to walk ya down the aisle.”

Bucky walks in the room and smiles widely at her as she says, “Lucky for you, you don’t have to worry about that. We’re going to the courthouse.”

“Even better! Although I always thought it would be Apollo to pull the fast one and get married in Vegas.”

There’s a groan and scuffle as Apollo smacks his brother in the back of the head, “I didn’t say anything about Vegas you jackass.” Bucky sits next to her and buries his face into her neck, a smile on his face that hasn’t went away for hours and hours. She wraps one arm around his waist before saying, “It’s not a fast one either. This is all carefully calculated.”

“Sure,” comes the echo of two voices. She’s now on speaker with the boys as the sound of gunfire and yelling becomes fainter and fainter. “Sure thing, Artie.”

She starts to reply when Bucky nudges her and holds out his hand. Artie frowns at him but all he does is nudge her again, “Uh, guys, Bucky wants to talk to ya for a second.” She carefully sets the phone in Bucky’s hand.

When he has the phone settled by his ear she reaches out to squeeze his knee. His voice is raspy and nervous as he introduces himself and then listens as the twins give what sounds like a very enthusiastic greeting. “I…well, I love your sister very much. And I know that she is so much more than that to both of you. A mother really. And so I need you to know how much I love her and even though I’m going to marry her today either way, I would really like to have your blessing. She’s the best thing in my life and I love her, would do anything for her, and I-,”

He pauses as the twins reply. Artie hopes they’re taking this seriously and not acting like dickheads. But by the soft smile that appears on his face it seems that they’ve behaved themselves. “Okay…thank you. Yes, I-yes. Okay.” He hands the phone back to Artie as he gets up and stretches as though nothing important has just transpired.

“We’re happy for you, Artie. He’s a great guy,” Ares says. “I expect to be warned of any possible god-children. That’s something I need a little notice for. Also, your most special friend just promised us the chance to walk you down an aisle when vows are renewed.”

Bucky is standing at the sink now with a shit-eating grin. “He did, did he?”

“No takesieis-backsies.” Ares voice suddenly goes soft, “Really though Artie. We’re so happy.”

“Thanks boys. I’ll see you in a couple months.”

“Bye mom!” They both call and Artie nearly cries as she hangs up. “What did they really say Buck?”

Bucky comes back to her and tugs her up from the bed, “They said they knew when I stood up for you at Thanksgiving. They knew before we were even together. Think we may have some seers in the family.”

“Family huh?” She asks through tears.

He reaches up and swipes his thumb over each cheek, catching her tears, “Of course, doll.”

 

~

 

After they’re officially married and standing outside the courthouse with their closest friends, they both cry. All they had to do was sign some papers and Bucky can’t quite believe that its real, that they both have rings now, simple silver bands (Bucky has to wear his on his right hand though he doesn’t much care). And then they go out to dinner, Artie still in her wedding dress, a knee length white thing, nearly all lace, long lace bell sleeves dangling from her wrists. The top is tightly fitted while the bottom portion puffs out gently. Bucky can’t take his eyes off her, convinced that he’s the luckiest man alive. She sits next to him, laughing at something Steve and Sam said, her nose crinkled in the most adorable way. When Artie turns and looks at him, leaning over to kiss his cheek, elation rushes through him.

“Ready to go Buck?” Her eyelids are dropping, head falling against his shoulder from their long day.

He shakes his head and leans his forehead against hers, “One more thing we gotta do doll.”

She giggles and rubs her nose against his, “And what’s that, babydoll?”

Just then a waitress appears at their table with a slice of cake, “Cut our cake, sweetheart.”

“You’re such a sap,” she says as she takes a knife and Bucky positions his hand over hers.

He smirks and kisses her neck as everyone at the table pretends to gag, “But you love me.” In response she just hums and lowers their clasped hands. Once they each have a piece they both attempt to smash it into the other’s mouth, only succeeding in getting chocolate all over Artie’s dress and Bucky’s suit. He brushes the crumbs away carefully before folding his arm around her and tugging her up from the table, dripping her and kissing her for the whole restaurant to see. “And you’re mine now.”

“I’ve always been yours,” she whispers when he pulls her back up. “Always.”

 

~

 

“Let me fuck you with this dress on, doll.”

“James!”

He only chuckles against her neck where he’s buried his face. “C’mon,” he whines, sure to press his mouth against her throat when he does. A breathy sigh and laugh leaves her as Bucky attaches himself back to her neck.

“Let me down and I will,” she bargains. He has her against the wall just inside their apartment door. Artie’s legs are wrapped around his waist, bare feet hooked together, as her arms circle his neck. Bucky runs his hand along her leg, curving to the inside of her thigh.

“Maybe I wanna fuck you right here,” he counters with a laugh.

She pouts, “You won’t take your new wife properly?”

“No,” he says, running one finger under her panties. “So wet, sweetheart. I think you’ll be perfectly satisfied right here.”

Artie scrunches her nose at him, “And right after I married you too. I thought you cared about my needs, Buck.”

He pecks her nose, fingers still pressed gently against her folds but not moving, “Well, I mean, now that I have you I don’t have to impress you anymore-,”

“Fuck you,” she says affectionately before crashing her mouth to his. “Just take me here babydoll.”

“Rough?” He makes sure to look her in the eyes.

“God, yeah, darling,” she says. He takes no time at all in letting her down from the wall to fall to his knees. A squeal leaves her when he sticks his head up her dress, yanking her panties down her thighs and tossing them away.

His tongue is on her immediately as he pushes his hand between her legs, forcing them apart to give him better access. “Bucky!” A deep chuckle leaves him as she pulls her dress up so she can drag her hands through his hair. Bucky takes his time pleasing her, enjoying the whimpers and moans he can pull from her like this. He likes the praise and the affection she showers him with when he does something she likes. Teasing her clit endlessly has her pulling his hair, thighs shaking, hips bucking against his mouth. He pulls back to look up at her, standing with a growl when he finds her with an innocent look on her face and her index finger between her teeth.

“Are you done teasing me Buck?”

In response he grabs her leg and hooks it over his hip before shoving his trousers down. He lines up with her, still breathing hard and sinks into her, never breaking eye contact. “’m never done teasin’ ya, sweetheart.”

Bucky sets a brutal pace with her, slamming into her so hard she feels dizzy and loving every second of it. Her hands never leave his hair and his mouth never leaves her neck. Biting her collarbones and sucking on the sensitive flesh of her throat.

She cums twice before he finally spills in her and pulls out. And then neither of them can much move so they sink to the floor together. “You ruined my dress,” she pants against his chest, arms circled around his muscled middle.

“I like it both ways.”

She only nips at his chin in response, “Says the man with his pants still around his ankles.”

“Shirt still on too. You’d think we’ve never done this before.”

“Bucky?”

“Yes, doll?” He asks, standing, now that they've caught their breath, and pulling her up with him, to help her out of her dress and finally get his own clothes off.

There are tears in her eyes when she turns to him as he continues to struggle with the buttons on his shirt. She takes over for him as she says, “I’m your _wife_.” It feels right in her mouth, like the truth, like it belongs. It feels like everything in the universe has culminated to be _this,_ to this moment, this man, this life. 

“Mrs. Barnes,” he whispers, thumbing away her tears. “I know,” his mouth meets hers when the last article of clothing is gone from their bodies. “I love you. Now where do you suppose we can honeymoon?” His smile is large and happy as he asks, proud as can be. 

She laughs until she cries and Bucky leads her to bed, only to make love again and again and again. When the winter sun comes up they finally fall asleep and nothing in the world has ever seemed so _right_ or _serene_ or _at peace_ than right then in their own little piece of forever.  


	8. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long wait! I hope you like it!

*Six Years Later*

 

Bucky stares at their couch, cup of coffee held in his hand. Artie lies there with three children piled around her. One on her chest, one on her legs, and the other smashed between the back of the couch and Artie’s side.

He had woken up from a nightmare to find Artie gone from their bed. Instead of trying to go back to sleep he had gotten up instead, walked to their kitchen to make coffee and watch the sunrise. He hadn’t expected Artie to be in the living room but rather in the guestroom where the children had been put up for the time being.

They had renovated the apartments above the café when Tommy moved out to live with his girlfriend, making them into one big apartment with a combined kitchen and living room, two bedrooms, and a relatively spacious bathroom. And the second bedroom had come in handy, what with the influx of children suddenly in the family. Steve and Peggy had tied the knot three years ago only for Peggy to then become pregnant immediately. Sarah, the youngest of the three on the couch, only two years old, sleeps soundly on Artie’s chest.

The other two are Ares’s twin girls. Nearly immediately after Artie and Bucky had married Ares and Apollo’s tours had ended and they had come home, the spontaneous decision to do something else with their lives arising. Ares turned out to be a wonderful father and husband and Apollo turned out to be an excellent full-time security detail officer, part-time Uber driver, and sometimes college student. 

Artie loves having them around, loves having her nieces around, loves that her family is together and safe. Bucky is happy that Artie is happy because he’s sure as hell never been more joyful in his life.

Lila and Ella are nearly four now and have enough energy between them to power the Empire State Building for a fewdays at the very _least._ He’s surprised to find them asleep now and smiles when Artemis starts to stir on the couch. Her eyes flutter open and she smiles sleepily at him. “Babydoll,” she murmurs drowsily, extending one hand toward him, the other carefully still on Sarah’s back.

He smiles at her and moves forward to sit on the floor beside the couch, pecking her lips gently before bumping his forehead against hers. “Mornin’, doll.”

“Mornin’. You okay? Nightmare?” She whispers.

Bucky shakes his head, “I’m okay. I know how to deal.”

“But do you need to-,”

“No, Artie, I’m okay. Really.”

She nods and kisses him carefully before she says, “These twins are worse to get to bed than the original twins. So much _energy_ for such small people.”

He leans back and takes a sip of his coffee before setting the mug on a nearby table, “You love it.”

“I do,” she admits. “Reminds me of the boys. I hope Ares didn’t have too much fun on date night because he’s likely to get another set at this rate.”

Bucky chuckles quietly and reaches out to trace Sarah’s cheek. They had agreed that children weren’t on the table for the time being shortly after they were married but Bucky still wanted them badly. He still held onto hope that Artie might want them too.

“Babydoll?”

“Hm? Sorry doll.” He had been so focused on Sarah that he hadn’t heard Artie’s soft voice.

“S’okay. I’m gonna tell you somethin’ but you can’t get too excited ‘cause you’ll wake the babies.”

He stills, “What is it?”

Artie reaches out to cup his cheek, to stroke along his jaw and brush stray hairs into place, “I think maybe we could try for one of our own.”

For a moment he doesn’t say anything, sure he must have heard her wrong. Sure he held hope of Artie changing her mind but he hadn’t thought that she _actually_ would, contenting himself to be the best uncle he could be to the girls, who frankly, reminded him of his sisters. And then there’s Sophie who still found him just as interesting at fourteen years old as she did at eight years old. He pretty much already has children…and then what she just said hits him.

He jumps up from the floor and lets out a loud hoot. Artie groans as the children start to stir, Ella’s blonde head popping up from her place squished in the couch cushions. “Bucky!” comes the small girl’s squeal as she launches herself up and right at Bucky, effectively waking the rest of the children.

“Barnes,” comes Artie’s stern voice, making him cringe. “I wanted to sleep.”

With Ella wrapped around his leg giggling he leans down to kiss Artie’s lips. “I’ll take care of ‘em, doll. You can go to bed,” he murmurs, Lila laughing as she climbs down from the couch and attaches herself to his other leg. He rubs his nose against hers and says lowly, “Besides you’ll need your rest.”

“Why’s that, babydoll?”

Sarah sits up on Artie’s stomach and Bucky leans over to kiss her cheek, making the sleepy baby giggle. A shit eating grin plasters itself to Bucky’s face then as he presses a kiss to Artie’s jaw and whispers, “’Cause we aren’t leaving that bed until I’m sure one of our own is on the way.”

Artie bursts out laughing, sitting up and cradling Sarah to her chest, dark locks sticking up around the girl’s head. With her other hand she reaches up and cradles Bucky’s face, “You’ll wait on me hand and foot right?”

He nods furiously, not even thinking about it, and also not realizing that she’s joking. But of course Artie won’t be doing anything when she’s pregnant, not while he’s around to do it for her. “’Course, sweetheart. I love you.”

“Love you too, babydoll.”

Bucky looks down at the two girls wrapped around his legs and then back at Artie, “Not that I don’t love these girls but uh, when are the parents coming back?”

She laughs again and stands up from the couch, carefully putting Sarah down on her own two wobbly feet. “We have time, Buck.”

The pained look he gives her as the twins attempt to climb him and Sarah starts chewing on the coffee table only makes her laugh harder.

 

~

 

“Shit, Buck,” Artie pants as Bucky rolls away from her. “How many was that?”

“For you or me?” he asks, chest heaving and sweat-slicked.

“I hate you,” she groans, rolling onto her side, muscles aching something awful. “I changed my mind I don’t want kids.”

He rolls over and wraps his arm around her waist, chest pressed against her back, as he presses kisses up her neck. “Sorry doll, but I think we may be beyond that. Although,” he says darkly, nibbling on her earlobe, “I could go again.” Bucky rolls his hips into Artie’s. “Might have to wait a little longer though.”

They had been trying for a few weeks now with no luck so far, Bucky taking every chance he got to make love to her and hope that this time would be _the_ time.

His fingers travel down her stomach, pausing at her hips, before going lower to brush against her wet folds. Artie both hisses and bucks her hips against his hand, “’m sensitive Bucky.” Her voice is a low, exhausted whine, making him chuckle.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” he murmurs. “And for the record that was my fourth time.” He nuzzles into her neck, “’m not sure for you but it’s at least double that.”

She laughs and turns to face him, “That shouldn’t even be possible. You have to be so tired.” Artie shifts her hips, and feels cum run down one thigh, “It _feels_ like four times.”

“I didn’t hurt you did I?” He asks, voice laced with concern. Artie’s hands go to either side of his face, gingerly beginning to pet him, signaling how tired she is, that she's calling in quits for the night.

“No, never, lovely,” she sighs, “But I’m so tired and-,”

He chuckles and lets his hand wander up and down her back, tracing her spine, “Okay. Let me clean you up though.” She whines again and clutches onto him.

“’m not finished petting you. I wanna touch you, _babydoll_. Please, please, please, don’t leave me.” Bucky can’t quite believe the effect that nickname still has on him as he groans lowly and then holds still so Artemis can complete her ritual of loving on him. “So pretty. And good to me. Make me feel so good.” Her lips trace over his chest and neck and eventually to his face and lips.

His eyelids start to droop then and he thinks that the sheets are already ruined so it didn’t much matter if they cleaned up or not. Wrapping himself around Artie is easy and familiar and good.

Right when he’s about to fall asleep he hears her cursing under her breath. “Sleep, doll," he murmurs before asking, "What is it?” He doesn’t open his eyes, only clutches her tighter to his chest.

“Twins run in the damn family.”

He snorts and opens his eyes, “Even better right? We both have experience there.” Drowsily he tries to get her to settle again but she’s giggling now, half-mischievously. “What?”

“’m gonna tease you,” she whispers, her hand wandering down to his navel, making him tense as Artie's fingers brush lower. “’Cause I just figured something out, James.”

Bucky jolts in her arms, and growls, “Did you Artie?”

She pushes him onto his back before straddling him, looking down at him and cupping her breasts, blatantly checking him out as she flicks her thumbs over her nipples. “Mmm.”

“I thought you were tired?” Bucky asks, trying not to sound like he’s complaining because he’s definitely _not_. “And what did you figure out?” His hand goes to her clit, careful of the soreness as he begins to circle the sensitive nub. Artie groans and he pauses in his actions as she starts to rock her hips against his hand.

A glare is sent down at him before she rakes her nails down his chest, taking care to avoid places she knows he hurts. “Well darling, I think you might have an impregnation kink.”

Bucky looks at her in shock before sitting up, “I do not!”

“You do so! You usually cum and fall asleep not long after. You came four times tonight! In a couple of hours. And this isn’t the first time since we’ve been trying. I swear you’re trying to kill me, darlin’.”

“Yeah alright,” he admits, pressing his lips to her ear, “Maybe I do. And I could cum again.” He thrusts up a little so she can feel how hard he is again.

“I know,” she wiggles her hips onto his cock. Artie takes his hand and settles in against her breast as she leans forward to kiss his scarred shoulder. “I love this though, you know that right? I like being connected and sickly in love. I like that we’re both insatiable. We won’t get the chance as often when we have a baby,” she murmurs against his shoulder before kissing his scars again.

"What the hell do you think Steve and your brothers are for?" Pleasure sparks through him then at her ministrations, Artie's lips passing softly over the damaged skin, “I don’t think you understand how much I love it when you do that. How reassuring it is.” She giggles against him as he gives her breast a squeeze and tugs on her nipple. “Let me get my mouth on you doll.”

Artie pulls back to look at him, “I wanna do it like this-,”

“Not what I meant,” he says cheekily before lowering his mouth to her other nipple, suckling gently against her and humming in pleasure.

Her breath hitches, “O-oh Buck-,”

He pulls away to meet her eyes, “You’re so sensitive now I can’t imagine what you’ll be like pregnant.”

“Probably in pain, probably won't be able to touch me,” she murmurs, lifting herself away from his lap a little so she can sink down onto him, low moans escaping both of them when he's fully sheathed. She wraps her legs around his waist and drapes her arms over his shoulders as she begins to rock against him. “Fuck, you’re so deep like this.”

“You okay?”

She hums and continues to rock against him, burying her face in his neck. “You feel so good around me, Artie. So warm and ah, fuck, tight,” Bucky praises her as she grinds down onto him. “Lean back a little. Let me see you.”

Artemis does as requested and leans back. Eyes closed, cheeks and chest flushed, mouth open as her brows knit together. “God you’re beautiful,” he whispers putting his mouth back to her breasts as his hand goes to her clit.

“Won’t be sayin’ that, ugh, fuck babydoll, won’t be sayin’ that when I’m fat and I can’t ride you anymore.”

He lets go of her nipple with a pop and glares at her, “You'll be even more beautiful.”

She just laughs and then groans as Bucky goes back to rubbing her clit. "And you won't be fat either. You'll be carrying our child." Artie doesn't respond, focused on getting Bucky to let go, get out of his head, to _stop fucking talking_. "You're gonna be a great mother."

Artemis stops, panting and sweating, "You can't just say that when you're inside me!" 

"Why? It's true." He smirks at her. 

She rolls her eyes and then gives him a smirk of her own, "I'm gonna make you cum and then we're gonna sleep."

"Are you now?"

She buries her hand in his hair and tugs his head back, making him groan. Peppering kisses to his exposed neck, she hums against him in assent. "And quick too, _James._  I know you're sensitive right now."

Besides, six years of marriage had taught her exactly how to get Bucky to cum quickly and hard even if he hadn't been exceptionally sensitive from their previous rounds. Names, hair pulling, and praise. 

"You'll be good for me and cum right, James? O-oh, shit, babydoll you feel so good. Let me feel you, huh? C'mon." She swirls her hips just right, Bucky groaning against her as she tugs harshly on his hair again. 

He pinches her clit unexpectedly making her cry out and thrust harder, "Shit, Artie, there it is. Together. You've got me so close, sweetheart. C'mon doll." 

Artie braces one hand on his shoulders and grinds down harder, eyes clenched shut as her nails dig into his skin, "I'm cumming, Bucky."

"Me too. I got you." His voice is strained and low and rough and it's enough to make Artemis find her climax.

Her hips stutter to a stop as she clenches around him, sending Bucky over the edge too. "So good," she whispers. "So, so good." Artie lets go of his hair, running soothing fingers along his scalp as she unwraps her legs from around his waist. 

Bucky tilts back to lie down, taking care not to slip out of her. "What did you say?" His voice is breathless and fucked out. "Cum and then go again?"

"Shut up," she whispers against his chest. "And go to sleep Barnes." Artie lies her ear against his chest and lets his heartbeat soothe her, running her fingers against his chest hair. 

"Just a second ago it was all 'James' this and 'babydoll' that. And now I'm Barnes again? That's harsh you know-,"

She bites his chest gently, "Hush, my most precious babydoll. Sleep now and make me happy." Artie strokes his arm, tracing the warm, thick muscle. "And stop being an ass."

Bucky grins and kisses her hair, "I love you, Artemis."

"Hmm, I guess I love you too." He only chuckles and kisses her hair again.

 

~

 

"Positive." 

Maybe he hasn't heard right. Bucky shakes his head and sighs, "We'll just have to keep trying, doll. It's only been a month and a-,"

"Bucky."

He stops, "Yeah?" His heart plummets, maybe it was too much and she didn't want to try anymore. 

"It's positive." She holds out the stick to him which he gingerly takes as though it's the most precious thing in the world. 

"Positive?"

She nods, tears in her eyes, "You're going to be a father."

Bucky grabs her suddenly, huge grin on his face and spins her around. He sets her down abruptly, fear now creasing his features, "Oh god. I can't do that anymore. Did I hurt you? Are you okay? Are you dizzy? Are-,"

"I'm fine," she whispers, one hand on her stomach. "I'm wonderful."

He hugs he close then, "And you're going to be a mother, doll." 

"I know. You're the only person I could have ever done this with. I trust you to tell me...tell me if I-,"

"You'll never be them, doll. Ever." Bucky squeezes her a bit tighter and kisses the side of her head, "You're going to be a great mom, Artie. I know you will."

She nods against his shoulder as both of them start to cry. "I love you." Bucky let's go of her to kneel before her, forehead pressed to her belly he whispers, "And I didn't think it was possible for me to love anyone or anything as much as I love you Artie but...here I am." Artemis threads her fingers through his hair and smiles. "I love you," he whispers before kissing her stomach. 

She cries harder and sinks down to the floor next to Bucky, hands clasped together and protectively settled over her stomach. 


End file.
